8 mistakes regarding employee scheduling that can be harmful to your business
Businesses cannot flourish without proper scheduling because management is a must when it comes to handling the business well. Because scheduling plays such a crucial role in the success of businesses, there are certain mistakes that you need to be aware of. These mistakes are often made by business owners when they make their employee schedules, and this hinders the progress of the organization. So, as a business owner, you must avoid these common errors.
As a business owner, employee scheduling is amongst the core responsibilities that fall on your shoulders. Nevertheless, if you are not careful about it, it can become a challenge. Fair enough, these mistakes are not impossible to avoid. You simply need to be aware of the mistakes to be able to avoid them. So, read on and know more about some common employee scheduling mistakes that you, as the business owner should avoid.
1. Taking too much time to schedule
Even the most skilled professionals end up making mistakes, so that is nothing to worry about. As a manager, there must be multiple things that you are dealing with including ordering supplies, employee engagement, and handling escalations. Because of these different tasks, sometimes you may wonder whether you are spending too much time on employee scheduling. Take time to review your employee schedules and set them every few weeks, but make sure never to spend too much time ignoring other important tasks, as this is one mistake that business owners do make. What is important here is to use the right tools at hand for employee scheduling that simplify the entire process and save your time.
2. Unfair distribution and hours
If you divide the shifts amongst your employees, everyone should get an equal share. Make sure not to show any favoritism by giving some employees preference over the others. While it is sensible to set experienced employees the demanding shifts, ensure that all the staff experiences the different hours and seasons. Some employers make the mistake of favoring certain staffers over others, which may end up discouraging others. Choosing the perfect software tools for management can help in providing all your employees the preferred shifts.
3. No optimization of the labor cost
Labor normally makes up for 70% of the overall expenses, you keep the budget in your mind when you are creating a schedule. Tracking budgets using spreadsheets can often be a time-wasting task. When you are setting the schedule, make sure to cover all the relevant factors also covering overtime rates. Smart scheduling tools can be a good way to keep track of the budget.
4. Lacking visibility
Proper coverage greatly matters when it comes to shift-based businesses. Unattended shifts can make the customers frustrated. Hence, the need for clear visibility and communication is a must for proper scheduling as the team needs to know who, when, and with whom they are working. Make sure your employees are comfortable in expressing their needs, and the entire process remains simple and transparent. Consider the requests of your employees if they are reasonable. It’s best to choose a centralized hub that allows your employees to receive and send any team updates. Make sure not to make this mistake of keeping not involving your employees, as this can be damaging to your employees.
5. Complications with swapping of shifts
Scheduling becomes accurate and better when you have the right tools at hand. For instance, you can make use of some tool that allows the employees to swap the shifts easily like a mobile app. Give your employees the opportunity of simple shift swapping in case of emergencies, so your work can be done with ease.
6. Procrastinating and last-minute scheduling
Leaving things to the last minute is not a good idea at all. Nothing can be worse than having to miss out on some important event because you had sudden work scheduled. Last-minute scheduling can be a stressful task for yourself and your employees as well. Releasing the schedule late can be costing you more than just this, as these costs can be very high at times. With the use of modern scheduling, you can always stay ahead and achieve your tasks as required.
7. The strengths of the team are not played to
Every employee will have different strengths and skills, so to be successful, you need to make the most of the diverse abilities and experiences to support all the customers. Those employers who do not take advantage of the strengths of the team members often end up with little success. So, ensure that you do not make this mistake, and use your team’s skills to the best use.
8. Forgetting your employee’s needs
One mistake that employers often make is that they tend to put the views of their employees to the side, forgetting that they are an important lifeline of the business. To get the best results, always respect and value your employees and take their views into consideration. You can set a formal leave process that will help you manage everything well.
At the end of the day, you do not need to worry about creating complicated schedules. Just try to avoid these mistakes and you are good to go!
